CBS Defined

A vision-impaired
person of sound mind experiences
phantom images (visions) in
their visual field.

 
National helpline
1300 121 123

"No-one told me I may end up seeing things that aren't really there."

"How can that butterfly be so vivid when I can't even see my daughter's face?"

"I'm legally blind so why am I seeing animals in stunning detail?"

"I didn’t know what was happening to me. Was this the start of dementia?"

"This weird figure appears almost daily but I know it is not real."

Listen to an ABC radio feature on CBS under 'Support', then 'Podcasts'

Listen to an ABC radio feature on CBS under 'Support', then 'Podcasts'

"The squares start at the floorboards and rise like blue lanterns."

CBS may last much longer than previously thought

CBS' lifespan under-estimated?

For several decades now, there has been the widespread belief that CBS tends to be a short-lived experience.  The prevailing view has been that CBS tends to resolve within a relatively short period of time: namely, 12-18 months. 

However, a recent UK study published in the Macular Society Digest (March, 2014) has questioned this assumption.  From a sample of ~500 people living with CBS it was found that 75% had CBS experiences that continued for five years or more. 

This finding suggests that the standard CBS recommendation of providing reassurance and information may not be a sufficient course of action. More substantive help may be required such as various management strategies and psycho-social support.